Leadless Cardiac Pacing via Wireless Energy Transfer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional heart pacing systems are invasive and pose health risks due to the need for leads extending from deep within the body to a subcutaneously implanted transmitter, leading to inefficiencies and complications such as inefficient energy transfer and increased battery power requirements.
Innovation Solution
A wireless stimulation device with an elongated, flexible body configured for implantation in the vasculature, featuring a receiver circuit to convert wireless signals into electrical power and electrodes for stimulating the heart, allowing for epicardial stimulation without the need for invasive leads, and includes a deployment device for easy insertion and repositioning within the vasculature.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional pacing systems use leads extending from deep inside the body to a subcutaneously implanted transmitter, then electrical stimulation can be delivered to the heart, but the system becomes invasive and presents health risks to the patient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the lead component from the pacing system, extracting the invasive connection element that caused harm. The wireless pacing system eliminates leads entirely, using wireless power and data transmission instead of physical connections between the transmitter and electrodes, thereby eliminating the invasive pathway while maintaining stimulation delivery
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical/physical lead connection system with a wireless electromagnetic field-based system. Power and control signals are transmitted wirelessly through the skin and tissue using electromagnetic fields, substituting the mechanical lead infrastructure with a non-contact energy transmission mechanism
2Power
If leads are run from deep inside the body to a subcutaneously implanted transmitter, then pacing function is achieved, but energy transfer becomes inefficient and battery power requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the lead infrastructure that caused energy losses through resistance and impedance. By removing leads entirely and using wireless power transmission with inductive coupling or electromagnetic fields, the system eliminates the energy-dissipating physical connection pathway, improving overall energy transfer efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the fundamental parameter of energy transmission from wired electrical conduction through leads to wireless electromagnetic field coupling. This parameter change enables more efficient power transfer by optimizing the electromagnetic coupling between transmitter and receiver, reducing energy losses and battery consumption
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides a less invasive method for heart pacing, reducing the risk of complications and improving energy transfer efficiency, allowing for stable and reliable stimulation of heart chambers with reduced battery power consumption and easier device maintenance.
Implementation Method 1
a receiver circuit configured to receive signals wirelessly from a transmitter device and to convert the signals into electrical power
Data Source
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AI summary
Devices for use in providing stimulation to cardiac tissue are provided. One device(100) is configured for implantation in or near the heart and includes a flexible, elongate body (1). The body is configured to be positioned across two different sections of the vasculature such that a) the first end can be positioned in a first section of the vasculature through which the device can stimulate a first chamber of the heart and b) the second end can be positioned in a second section of the vasculature through which the device can stimulate a second chamber of the heart. The device further includes a receiver circuit configured to receive signals wirelessly from a transmitter device and to convert the signals into electrical power. The device also includes at least a first set of one or more electrodes (2,2; 3,3) configured to stimulate the heart using the electrical power.